Britt Jones
Experts are warning that 'eating jet lag' could be a harmful issue you never even realised you suffered from, and it can wreak havoc on your body.
Many of us tend to fall into a bit of a pattern when it comes to meal times, grabbing a quick bowl of cereal before heading into work, clock-watching until it's time for a lunchtime sarnie, and finishing the day with a standard 7pm feed.
But it doesn't always pan out like this, does it?
Jet lag is, of course, something we’ve all heard about, and a phenomenon that many of us have experienced first-hand.
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Essentially, it’s when your routine and body clock is totally out of whack with the new time zone you’ve entered, and your body struggles with the change.
But the premise also applies to our eating habits, experts say. And it's not good.
Think about it: all week you have a set time to eat because of work, and then the weekend comes and the world's your oyster.
It turns out that, after you’ve been in work mode all week, and then finish up for the weekend where timings can be much more flexible, it can really put your stomach and energy through the wringer.
This is why experts have come out to warn against it and give you a little tip to help combat its effects.
“Eating jet lag refers to irregular meal timing, such as when your eating schedule shifts significantly between weekdays and weekends,” Lola Biggs, a dietitian at Together Health told Stylist. “For example, you might eat breakfast at 7am and dinner at 6.30pm during the working week, but sleep in at the weekend, and eat brunch at 11am and dinner closer to 9pm. These shifts may feel harmless, but they can confuse your body’s internal systems.”
This is because we run on circadian rhythms, which impact everything in our bodies, like sleep, metabolism, digestion, energy, brain power and hormone regulation.
“When we eat at inconsistent times, especially if we delay meals too often, it can disrupt these natural rhythms,” she added.
As for Dr Ritz Birah, a sleep expert for PandaLondon, she told the outlet that the body has many different internal clocks that can all go out of whack.
“Not only in the brain but also in peripheral organs, such as the liver, pancreas and gut. They regulate digestion, metabolism and hormone release, and when we eat at irregular times, these clocks can fall out of sync with one another, leading to metabolic confusion and physiological stress,” she said.
When you get eating jet lag, this can lead to you feeling like your body isn’t doing what it’s supposed to.
For example, you could feel bloated or find that your sleep quality isn’t what it once was.
So, how do you help this?
“Consistent mealtimes help to anchor the circadian rhythm, signalling to the body when to expect activity and when to prepare for rest,” said Dr Birah.
This could be eating within an hour of waking and making sure you leave three hours before bed after your last meal to avoid indigestion and disturbing your sleep.
Planning your meals for the weekend or even taking part in meal prep can help you to keep your timings regular too.